The performance of a mechanical seal, which is an example of a sliding component, is evaluated based on the leakage rate, wear rate and torque. Mechanical seals of prior arts have achieved greater performance in the form of low leakage, long life and low torque by optimizing their sealing material and roughness of sealing faces. However, the ever-growing awareness of environmental issues in the market in recent years has created a demand for mechanical seals offering even higher performance and a consequent need to develop technologies that go beyond the scope of prior arts. One prior art relating to a mechanical seal is such that, as shown in FIG. 8, spiral grooves 52 are provided on a sealing face 51 of a sliding component 50 and the pumping action of the spiral grooves 52 is utilized to push back to the high-pressure fluid side a sealed fluid that tends to leak toward the low-pressure fluid side, thereby improving the sealing function of the sealing face (refer to Patent Literature 1, for example).